Abstract
This study was carried out to investigate women's labor in the private and public spheres in traditional societies from the Three Kingdom Period to the Chosen Dynasty. This study is based on review of historical literature. It was found that women in the traditional societies from the Three Kingdom Period to the Chosen Dynasty worked not only in private places, such as in households as housewives, but also as slaves in public places such as government offices. Also, women as housewives worked not only to fulfill private needs, but also to pay taxes. In this sense, women in traditional societies participated in labor force in the public arena, not unlike women in industrialized societies who participate in labor market. This research provides a piece of counterevidence against the general belief that women in traditional societies only conducted private housework at home. Therefore this study suggests that we need to rethink gender roles in traditional societies.
